Founded in 1894 in Chatham Virginia, Chatham Hall is an all girls’ college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12. Chatham Hall is at the forefront of all-girls education. We value academic excellence, inspire integrity, and instill global responsibility in tomorrow’s leaders. As an Episcopal school we offer a spiritual program that nurtures the whole girl and welcomes students of all faiths. Our rigorous academic experience includes a 1:1 iPad program, 5:1 student to teacher ratio, and a multitude of experiential learning opportunities. Our Leader in Residence program brings in remarkable women to spend time with the students; past participants have included Gloria Steinem and Venus Williams. Alongside 9 competitive sports offerings our award winning IEA riding program welcomes riders of any level utilize our world-class facilities spread over 365 acres. Chatham Hall offers a robust Arts curriculum, extensive selection of AP classes, and a personalized college counseling process that allows our graduates to go on to the world’s best colleges and universities.

Our meticulously maintained campus in Chatham, Virginia offers the charms and safety of living in a small town while still being easily accessible to major cities like Washington D.C. and the Triad region of North Carolina, and 82% of our girls board. Facility highlights include the new 12,256-square-foot Lee Library, a dynamic learning commons that serves as an academic and technological hub for collaborative research, study, and teaching on campus. The Mars Riding Arena is the centerpiece of our extensive equestrian facilities, allowing for year round riding, and also includes indoor stalls and wash bays. Other riding facilities on campus include a permanent hunter trial field, and several outdoor schooling arenas. Some girls choose to board their own horse at school while others take advantage of the 40 school horses of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds that are available to our riders within the lesson program.

Chatham Hall champions opportunities that make each student’s experience singular, and the classroom is a stepping-stone into the full sweep of learning experiences at our school. Our girls are encouraged to get their hands (literally) around a subject, to sharpen their powers of observation, to step forward with questions, and to communicate clearly what they see and believe. Signature programs include the Discovery Challenge, a one-trimester independent study program that offers students the opportunity to pursue a topic of particular interest in depth. A recent project included the creation of a Vermiculture research center that explored the possibility of heating winter green houses with compost. The project also provided organic arugula for consumption by the school!

The IQuest Program makes funds available for students to add local, national, and international travel components to traditional courses. Students have taken on subjects as wide ranging as a chemistry internship to create a line of make-up, veterinary studies, or attending a Frank Lloyd Wright architectural workshop in Chicago. Others go further afield, one student recently visited Camino de Santiago in Spain to research religious pilgrims and spirituality.